


I Was Just Guessing

by Thebigbadwolfandlittlered



Series: Science and Progress Do Not Speak as Loud as My Heart [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Spoilers, Civil War (Marvel), Everyone is becoming pals, M/M, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), it's great
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-29
Updated: 2016-06-29
Packaged: 2018-07-18 22:26:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7333123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thebigbadwolfandlittlered/pseuds/Thebigbadwolfandlittlered
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony is startled to find Bucky Barnes on his doorstep. Started may be an understatement. Bucky just wants everyone to friends.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Was Just Guessing

**Author's Note:**

> This will not make sense unless you read the first two parts!
> 
> And I wrote a third part? And there is almost definitely going to be a fourth part.
> 
> Shoutout to certifiedmomfriend for being a bro and complimenting me like crazy and also being a beta. What a bae. (Follow them on tumblr <3)
> 
> Also shoutout to everyone who left kudos and commented. You guys give me life got gonna lie. I want to print out some and hang them up tbh. They're incredible!

Tony’s eyes widened as he opened the door and he couldn’t move. Panic and fear snapped into each vertebrae of his spine like a whip. The man in his doorway held his hands up and took a careful step back.

“I came to apologize.”

Tony forced himself to swallow and his eyes flickered to the glare of metal.

“I didn’t know you were awake.” The words felt like chewing gravel to get out. Bucky looked at Tony with something like genuine relief.

“I wouldn’t be without you.”

* * *

**Two months earlier.**

 

“Stark built the arm?”

“Yes, he did. I understand if you wish not to use it-”

“No. I do. Put it on.”

“T’challa wait, let’s not rush into this.”

“I know what I want, Steve.”

“Bucky you just woke up-”

“Put it on.”

* * *

**Present Day.**

 

Tony just nodded blankly and put a hand in his pocket. He clenched a fist around a chip engraved with the number one. He’d gotten it two weeks ago in AA. Carol presented it to him and everyone clapped. He teared up. Eyeing Bucky again he thought back to triggers.

“Can I come in? I’d understand if you didn’t want me to.” Bucky looked down and scuffed a shoe against the pavement. It was hard to remember this man was a trained assassin.

_He wasn’t always._

That thought was enough to take all the tension out of his body. He opened the door wider and stepped aside to let Bucky in.

“Yeah.”

* * *

**One month and three weeks earlier.**

 

“He’s pretty fucked up.”

“Wow, way to just say it.”

“Well he is. I’m not gonna lie.”

“Tony turned him away. Flat out.”

“You can’t blame him for that. You weren’t there, Sam.”

Silence.

“You know I will always back Steve up. He’s my friend and nothing comes before that, but I saw Tony before he left for you guys. And he looked disappointed. In himself, for not listening.”

“I’m not surprised. Guy doesn’t take failure well.”

“He sure doesn’t.”

“Are you mad at Tony?”

“For what? Fighting you and Steve? Signing the accords? Leaving Steve up to dry?”

“Any of it.”

“Short answer, no. Long answer, still no. Steve… he was doing what he thought was right. For all of it.”

“He used to fight bullies in back allies. Guys who exploited their own power.”

“I can see Steve doing just that.”

“Yeah well, I think somewhere it may have gotten blurred.”

Silence.

“Do you think he can still be that kid?”

“Do you think I can be?”

“Yeah. Yeah I do Bucky.”

“Well there you go. He won’t give up on me, and I won’t give up on him.”

* * *

**Present Day.**

 

Bucky walked in and put his hands in his hoodie pockets. Tony thought the sight of him in a hoodie was comical but also… relaxing. Like this was a casual visit between friends.

“I came to say I’m sorry.”

Tony shook his head. “Don’t. You don’t need to apologize, I should-” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Can I make you a drink?”

“I heard you were sober.” Bucky said eyes moving to the bar and then Tony’s pocket like he knew what was in there, and hell he might. He didn’t know Bucky’s life.

Tony moved to the bar and pulled out a club soda and poured it into a glass. “I am. So I have no alcohol but I can offer soda.”

Bucky moved slowly to sit at the bar. “Glass of water?” Tony moved to get a second glass with ice and water.

“Two superheros living it up.” Tony grabbed a cocktail umbrella and put it in Bucky’s glass before placing it in front of him. “Ta-da.”

Bucky tried to hide a smile in his glass but Tony saw it.

“I am sorry. For the fight.” He paused to think what he wanted to say. “I just- I lost myself, and I know that’s no excuse for trying to kill someone but-” Tony felt that demon coming back getting ready to cling to his back.

“Stark-” Bucky stopped himself. “Tony. None of this was your fault. If your brain was put in a damn blender and you ended up killing Steve I would’ve done the same thing.”

* * *

**One month earlier.**

 

“It is either all of our faults, or none of ours. We were played like a fiddle by Zola.”

“I think it’d be all of us because we all fell for it.”

“James, things like this aren’t black and white. They aren’t even in the gray scale. It’s a mad mix of colors. Red and blue, purple and yellow. Everyone looks at these colors differently and sees something else.”

Silence.

“You know what, T’challa? Most of the time I have no idea what the hell you’re saying but it still manages to make me feel less terrible.”

“Glad I could help.”

“Do you really not blame anyone? Even after your…”

“My father's death was a symptom of a much larger disease. No use becoming upset at mother nature.”

“That’s a kind of fucked up way of looking at it.”

“If you want a softer worldview, go talk to that bird man.”

“Which one?”

“The less… annoying one.”

Silence.

“Which one?”

* * *

**Present Day.**

 

“I’m sorry about your parents.” Bucky said running a flesh thumb through the drop of water on the glass.

“I’m sorry you had to kill them.”

Tony watched as Bucky eyed him for a long minuet. “Wanda was right. You really have changed.”

Tony shrugged and thought back to the chip in his pocket.

“Yeah, I guess I really have.”

They were both quiet and looking away from each other.

“This is weird.” Tony said and Bucky immediately replied, “Yeah.”

They both set down their glasses and moved to the door.

“If you ever need anything, you can call me.” Tony said wondering if offering that was weird. He realized it didn’t really matter because this whole thing was super fucking weird.

Bucky didn’t really answer. Just walked out the door with a casual salute and left.

Tony felt like he should be messed up. That was something potentially very triggering and he got through it. He survived. Tony smiled as he closed the door.

* * *

**Three weeks later.**

 

“I can’t fucking believe you, Barnes.”

“Get the fuck over it, Tony. It happened.”

“I invited you into my home and this is how you fucking repay me?”

“Like you didn’t try to fuck me over!”

“You blueshelled me first, asshat!”

“Oh you’re so full of shit, Stark. You can’t prove that was me.”

Tony would’ve rolled his eyes if he wasn’t trying to reclaim his spot at number one.

“Eat my fucking dust, Bucky.”

“I didn’t know it was possible to say that many curse words in one convertation.”

Tony and Bucky at the same exact time:

“Fuck off, Barton.”

* * *

**Three weeks later.**

 

“Are you ever going to be ready?”

“I don’t know.”

“It’s been a year since the Accords.”

“I know.”

“He misses you.”

Silence.

“And Carol told me you miss him.”

“So you and Carol are best buddies now?”

“She punched me in the face and then took me out for lunch. We meet every Sunday.”

“You guys probably just talk shit about Steve and me.”

“What else are we supposed to talk about?”

“Why don’t you guys get love lives?”

“Oh taking care of the two of you is our lives.”

“Hey, I’m not that complicated-”

“Tony, you set eight trees on fire late week. You weren’t even on a mission, you were taking a walk.”

“Okay point.”

“I think it’s time for you to talk to him.”

“I will try to kill you again.”

“Go ahead, pal.”

Tony pouted.

* * *

**One Week Later.**

 

“What did Tony say?”

“He threatened me bodily harm.”

“Please Barnes, tell me what he actually said.”

“When you first told me that Tony had a secret language I thought you were insane, I want you to know that Carol.”

“Yeah okay whatever, what did he say?”

“He knows I’m right.”

“Tony is a genius after all.”

“And how is Steve?”

“Why are you asking me?”

“I don’t know I was hoping you’d talk to him.”

“Oh no way, I’m still mad.”

“How can you store this much rage?”

She rolled her eyes. “Steve’s still mad at you isn’t he?”

“He said he wasn’t mad. I don’t think he is, he’s mostly just pouting around.”

“Hopefully Tony will pull up the courage and punch Steve straight in the mouth with his mouth.”

Silence.

“What the fuck Carol.”

* * *

**Later that night.**

 

Tony walked into his lab and all the lights turned on. He smiled softly as he passed DUM-E. He moved to his main desk and scanned his thumb and eye to open a drawer. There were very few things in this specific place. A box with a forgotten engagement ring, the first arc reactor, a picture of his mother and him, another stolen picture of one Rogers, Steven from before the serum (stolen from a close family friend. He called her his aunt.) a handful of blood spattered collectable cards, and a black phone with a layer of dust. Tony pulled out the phone and closed the drawer. He opened it and looked at the only number programmed in. He sat there for a long time staring at the number.

He pressed call.

_Ring._

_Ring._

_Ring._

And finally someone familiar sounding out of breath-

_“Tony?”_


End file.
